1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for obtaining, counting and calculating stereological data. In stereology, which deals predominantly with the representation and interpretation of three-dimensional structures on the basis of sectioned materials, various counting and calculating devices are in use. Generally speaking, two main fields of application can be distinguished: biology and material sciences (metallurgy and mineralogy) whereby a quantitative assessment of structures and structural changes of tissues and cells, or metallurgical data such as grain size grain distribution and phase changes are some of the principal endeavours. The invention will be described with particular reference to the analysis of biological structures, but is not limited to this field.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are fully automatic devices in which the specimen to be investigated is introduced and which allow the results, such as volume densities, surface densities or number of elements to be read off directly. Such devices which usually employ television cameras, are very rapid and may save a lot of labour. However they are on the one hand very elaborate, and on the other hand it is often not possible to assess all structural components, especially if these are not unambiguously recognisable on the basis of differences in contrast; in such cases the trained eye may still show a superior performance.
There are also devices in which the operator introduces the data of interest into a calculating device, whereafter the compiled data are either read out on a display device or punched onto punch cards or punch tape. In order to obtain the scientifically interesting final data, such as for example volume density, its mean and relative standard deviation, these compiled data are introduced into a computer and are evaluated on the basis of a pre-determined programme. The disadvantage of this solution is that the results are usually not available immediately subsequent to collection of the data, because punch cards or punch tape must first be transferred to the computer which may not be immediately available.